Kansas economy grows, but suffers high fuel prices
Healthy business in the international market and in agriculture improved Kansas’ business economy according to the latest Business Conditions Index report. The Index, which is compiled by Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, showed Kansas’ economy expanded to a 58.4 in April, up from 55.1 in March. Anything above 50 is considered growth. But because April saw gas prices approaching $4 a gallon, expansion in the aircraft industry slowed, according to Goss.

Kansas Budget Won't Have Money to Train New Troopers
State legislators appear unlikely to fund a new class of Kansas Highway Patrol trainees in the next state budget. House and Senate negotiators settled the issue Tuesday during negotiations over a spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The House version of the budget included $862,000 for the patrol to bring 15 trainees through its training academy in Salina. The Senate didn't include the money. The negotiators agreed to the Senate's position, meaning no trainee class for the next fiscal year. But the decision has to be approved by the full House and Senate.

President Eisenhower’s Warnings
A little more than 50 years ago, on Jan. 17, 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President from Kansas, bid the nation farewell as he completed his second term in office. The speech is most remembered for its warning against the might of the “military-industrial complex.” But few remember or ever hear about another warning in that speech, the combination of science and government and its potential dangers to true science and representative government. “The prospect of domination of the nation’s scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present — and is gravely to be regarded. Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite,” stated President Eisenhower.

Express bus transit center to be built in Mission
The new express bus transit center will be built on lots at 5251 Johnson Drive. The service will be similar to Kansas City’s MAX line on Main Street. The Mission City Council recently approved the agreement for two lots at 5251 Johnson Drive. The city is charging the county a nominal $10 for the land.

Vratil Statements Irresponsible
If you want to debate that abortion should be a woman’s decision, debate. If you want to debate the beginning of life, debate. If you want to debate the sanctity of life, debate. But when Senator (Republican and Senate Vice President) John Vratil states that inspecting abortion clinics in Kansas “is truly government waste of taxpayer dollars and I oppose such waste“ is truly pathetic. Predictably the other Johnson County liberal Senators Huntington and Owens concur.

Mid-America Fittings finds just the right hiring fit with veterans
Mid-America Fittings Inc. knows that all too well. The Overland Park-based maker of industrial fittings needs to add about eight employees for a second shift to capitalize on the opportunities created by competitors leaving the business. The company projects 20 percent growth in the next year and has added five new machines and 20,000 square feet to its building.

Mission woman finishes Boston Marathon, then chemo treatment
Mission resident Kelly Morken crossed the finish line of her first Boston Marathon. Three days later, she got her final round of chemotherapy. You read that right: Morken was in the middle of chemo treatments. And training for one of the most competitive endurance races in the county.

Kansas State Rifle Association Annual Convention in Overland Park
Darla Jaye & the Kansas State Rifle Association presents the KSRA annual convention at the Holiday Inn, Overland Park Kansas Saturday June 4th 2011 and an all-day shoot and exhibition shooting Sunday June 5th. The KSRA is Kansas’ foremost leader in 2nd Amendment and Hunting Rights.

Traffic Fatality in Mission
A 53-year-old Overland Park woman died this afternoon when she lost control of her pickup truck and rolled into a ditch off Shawnee Mission Parkway in Mission.

KC Star is Falling Star
The Star Herald of Belton, Mo., and the Blue Springs Journal, both properties of Kansas City Star owner The McClatchy Co. will publish their final editions on May 12 and May 11, respectively. The Star isn’t untouched, either. The publication announced Monday that it was cutting about 24 jobs, as well as some unfilled positions, in its second round of layoffs this year. Last year, the daily newspaper had three rounds of layoffs, plus unpaid furloughs for employees. Last week, McClatchy reported a $2 million quarterly loss and said it would increase ad sales efforts and cut expenses in response to weak advertising.

Kansas Debt Clock

The Kansas “Drudge” Meadowlark
Click here to get an update on current news and information in Kansas courtesy the Kansas Meadowlark website.

The Times Public Service: Registered Sex Offenders
As a public service to the residents of Northeast Johnson County the Times offers Family Watchdog as a web generator to view if an offender lives near you.

Former JoCo Treasurer Chosen to Lead Kansas Lottery

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback announced the nomination of Dennis Wilson as Executive Director of the Kansas Lottery.

Read More

This week the Kansas Senate voted to stop the Community Defense Act (CDA) from becoming law in Kansas and local senator, Terrie Huntington, sided with the porn industry.

Read More

Every inmate in prison costs taxpayers between $35,000 - $45,000 a year, according to most studies. However, a new Reason Foundation-Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Foundation study finds states could save millions of dollars a year for every 5,000 inmates it sends to private prisons, including private prisons in other states.

Read More

The Johnson County Board of Commissioners approved an agreement with Mission last week to acquire property for a new express bus transit center at 5251 Johnson Drive. The city of Mission is charging the county a nominal $10 for the land.

Read More

Identity theft is quickly becoming one of the most organized and costly crimes of our time.

Read More

Newly elected Kansas Congressman, Kevin Yoder of the 3rd District of Kansas, continues to impress the Times with his efforts. In an examination of his work after the first 100 days in office, Yoder continues to fly back and forth from DC to his district constantly.

Read More

For National/Regional News Click Here:

Editorial: In the Land of Conservatives Increases Spending is Astounding
By Rep. Charlotte O’Hara
27th District

How can Kansas, with a Republican Governor and Republican control of both the House and Senate, pass budgets that have a 6.7 percent increase in the State General Fund? How can an amendment to the appropriations bill in the House enacting a spending freeze at 2011 levels only garner 8 votes out 125? Why wasn’t the 1-cent increase in Kansas’ state sales tax repealed, a repeal on which many freshmen Republicans ran?

How can east coast governors, in the land of liberals, Republican Gov. Christie and Democrat Gov. Cuomo cut spending to begin to bring their budgets under control while Kansas, in the land of conservatives, increase spending by 6.7 percent over 2011 levels and an astounding 15 percent increase over 2010? The world indeed seems to have turned upside down and inside out.

Well, here’s my perspective for what it is worth. Gov. Brownback came home to Kansas after 12 years in Washington with a wonderful opportunity to lead our state out of this spending-addiction cycle of more resources going to the public sector, which requires ever increasing our taxes, which drives more and more businesses out of Kansas, which requires even more increases in taxes.

Gov. Brownback chose to go the less-bold road of holding the status quo (opposed the repeal of the one cent sales tax and raided the Kansas Department of Transportation for $200 million) with promises that as soon as the Legislature is out of session and the administration sees our tail lights leaving, that is when the changes will be made. OK. Nice story, but I thought it was the Legislature’s job to pass a conservative appropriations bill that would have at least capped spending at 2011 level and made the necessary cuts to truly balance our books. Yes, education would have taken an additional $257 million in cuts (approximately 8 percent total cut), but the state’s reserves would have increased by $200 million.

Meanwhile the schools have $750 million of unencumbered cash in their reserve funds while the state reserves estimated in the House version of the appropriations bill is $78 million (which is now reduced an additional $10.1 million due to another increase in estimates of Human Resources caseloads). Schools are sitting on more than 10 times the amount of estimated reserves for the entire Kansas State Budget.

So my friends, it’s up to you. You cannot trust the overwhelming Republican House and Senate to abide by the Republican platform of less government, lower taxes or opposing illegal immigration. (It’s interesting how Republicans went flying from the immigration issue, but at least now I know who I don’t want in a foxhole to watch my back).

No, Topeka’s kick-the-can-on-down-the-road mantra is alive and well with the attitude of “there’s always next year when we politicians will really be brave and will get the job done”. Do you know how long that excuse has been used? It seems this annual game plan has been used extensively in both the Senate (where, at least they have the reputation of being liberal) and the House. (That really surprised me, because I really believed House Leadership was fiscally conservative).

With the budgets the House and Senate passed we simply have set ourselves up with an impossible task for the 2013 budget year that will require even deeper cuts (which we won’t make) and the sunset of the .6 cent sales tax will be kissed goodbye. Peasants with pitchforks are needed to get the attention of the Topeka elite. They don’t think that you, the voters, are paying attention.

The Topeka elite believes that they can operate in the Capitol bubble and not have to bear the consequences at the ballot box in 2012. I hope they are wrong, because we need another dramatic defeat of incumbents who annually pass appropriation bills with spending increases intact. Then, and only then, will the message come through loud and clear: The good people of Kansas will not stand by and watch silently as their state is brought to the brink of bankruptcy.

Source

Help us cover your community!
See something you'd like to have us take a look into? Have an event you'd like to promote? Have a great picture you'd like to share with our readers? Send your story ideas, photos and tips to editor@shawneemissiontimes.com .

Copyright Shawnee Mission Times, 2010
Site Design by BrowserSites.com